Too Late
by Blacknovelist
Summary: "He could only pull her closer to his heart and hope with all of his spirit that they would make it back in time." (Or: The Toshinko Transistor AU absolutely no one asked for.)


**A/N: I've been thinking about this AU for the past like, two weeks, and as soon as I figured out how to go about it I knew I had to share. This was written in three hours and posted close to three in the morning (as per awful tradition) so if there's anything that needs to be pointed out (or if you just have an opinion) please drop a review or something! I'd love that.**

 **Prior knowledge of either/both fandoms is recommended, but it isn't necessary to read, especially when you consider how ridiculously vague the story of Transistor is. Don't fret yourself too much over it.**

* * *

 _I have to find them._

These were the only thoughts ringing through Toshinori's mind, a dull sense of determination surging through him as he made his way through the slowly emptying city. Patches of octagonal white draped themselves aimlessly over doorways and across the street, strange wheat-like grasses poking up through the cracks in the pavement. Their large heads popped as Toshinori walked through them, drifting and falling apart in the barest of winds.

 _I need to make sure they're all safe._

He shifted his cargo, draping the weight of his arm over its handle to keep it from tipping backwards off his shoulder. The sword glowed dully, its yellow side-panels digging slightly into the side of his neck, but he ignored it in favour of looking around, senses alert for any form of ambush.

 _I have to warn them. I need to protect them. Hurry._

"Are you sure this is alright, Toshinori?" Inko asked, and he glanced over his shoulder, pale green light spilling over his features. "If you're uncomfortable you could always bring me - this - the Transistor - under your arm, o-or even on the ground, I don't have any problem with that."

Ignoring the stuttered titles Toshinori huffed, smirking, and gave her a look, pointedly shifting again into a more comfortable position. She chuckled at that, and he could all but see the smile that would be on her face. "Fine, fine." She said, resigned, "I should've known better than to tell you something like that, you impossible..."

His head fell back in a soundless laugh at her mock-irritated muttering, and he moved down the street a little bit easier than earlier. Really, Inko was the only one who could ever lift his spirits up, even at a time like this. How she could continue to keep her cheery attitude after everything that had happened was entirely beyond Toshinori, and he couldn't help but feel just a bit jealous as his relaxed smile started to strain.

Inko, who deserved what happened the least of all people, to have to lift the grin on his face when she couldn't even do so much as that for herself... He shook himself slightly as he realized where his thoughts were drifting, pushing them aside. _'This isn't the time for daydreaming!'_

As though called by his lapse in attention four white orbs shot up from the ground around him, identical from the disks floating around them to the three lenses on their faces. Calling on the few embers he had left of One for All, Toshinori felt his clothes straining as his muscles grew, effortlessly lifting the weapon off his shoulder. "So, you think you can handle me?"

"Go get 'em, Toshinori," Inko called out softly, "but please, be careful. Don't overdo it."

He nodded, shooting her a reassuring smile, and the world around them froze.

* * *

The bloodied handkerchief was tucked away as Toshinori cleared his throat, coughing out the last of the itch. Across from him and leaning on the wall the Transistor glowed, its accusatory light illuminating him and the alcove they sat in. "I told you not to push yourself, Toshinori, and what is it you went and did just now?"

Toshinori gave her a helpless shrug, smiling sheepishly. The light did not abate. "It's no wonder why everyone is always worried about you," Inko said, sighing. "Really, no matter what anyone thinks, I was right to check on you when you vanished once the media finished..."

Unnoticed to her Toshinori stiffened, his jaw tensing at the reminder of the events from earlier. In the recent months, up-and-coming heroes and celebrities had gone missing, and the police wanted to collaborate with UA in order to catch the individuals responsible. Nedzu and the rest of the teachers had been under the impression it would be simple; attend the function held on the school grounds, lay the bait, follow the suspected target, and catch them before anything went wrong. No one was to go anywhere alone until it was time, because the victims were always alone before they disappeared.

But their plan hadn't taken into account a traitor, leading one of their own away to investigate an "intruder". The plan hadn't taken into account a mysterious weapon and a new villain, or white creatures going on a rampage to destroy the city, or the abilities of a very determined mother that had realized who was missing just in time.

At least, that had been how she phrased it then, voice shaky and trying so desperately hard to pretend everything that had happened wasn't real at all. She had laughed desperately, nonexistent eyes squeezed shut as he pulled the device ("The Transistor," she whispered to him, "that's it's name") from her unmarred - _unmoving_ \- form, muttering over and over, _"Thank god you're OK, Toshinori. You're okay, I'm… not necessarily not okay, we're both here, and this! This is here with us, this thing, the… the Transistor, yes the Transistor, it can't be used to hurt anyone else back at UA, and that's what matters. Can, can you hear me, Toshinori? Can you say anything? No? But everything else is okay, right? Good, that's good. We just - we have to get back there. We need to warn them somehow Toshinori, or tell them about this and everything that's happening, but before then it's going to be alright, so don't you dare start worrying about me yet. Do you hear me, you silly man? Toshinori?"_

"Toshinori?"

He blinked, mind breaking free from the memories as he registered that he'd heard his name in real life.

"Toshinori, are you alright?" Inko asked, and the worry in her voice had him shaking off the feeling of All for One's calculated gaze on him, the shock he emanated after Inko's timely interference palpable to him even as the world had bucked and swirled around him then. "You haven't moved from that spot in a while and you look kind of pale. Maybe we should rest here for a bit longer."

Toshinori shot her a vaguely startled look at the suggestion. "Don't look at me like that," she scolded. "They - the rest of them should still be on UA grounds, right? Your coworkers are all heroes, and, and, I-Izuku can take care of himself, he and his class all can, and everyone there has a quirk. They are not going to be gone when we get there simply because you decided you needed another minute to breathe before heading off again, so don't you dare tell me 'you don't need it', because you most certainly _do_ , you absolutely outrageous, utterly imposs...ible..."

She trailed off as Toshinori shuffled off his seat to sit next to her, brushing a shaking hand over the Transistor's glowing surface. He looked up from the ground at her, smile absent, and Inko sighed. "...You impossible man," she muttered. "I'm just as worried as you are, you know that, but they can handle themselves as well as we can. Your health and safety are not below theirs. Please... do this for me, at least. Take care of yourself."

 _Take care of yourself_ , something he had heard so many times throughout his life. This time though, coming from her, his mind went to his friends, his family; the boy like his son and the children like his own still waiting for him to come back, vulnerable, unaware. The creatures of white, effortlessly tearing through the city, people disappearing in their wake. The thought of watching anyone, anything else vanish before the beings sent thrills of fear and horror through his bones, but then, so did the thought of disappointing Inko like this.

Silence, and then - Toshinori nodded, awkwardly wrapping an arm around the body of the weapon and tugging the hilt down with his other hand. "Your apology is accepted," she whispered as he drew her close, pulling the flat of the dull blade against his chest. "I love you too, Toshinori."

He could only say nothing and pull her closer to his heart, and hope with all of his spirit that they would make it back in time.


End file.
